Ski pole tip protective covers

ABSTRACT

Provided are protective covers for ski pole tips.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to protective covers for ski pole tips.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During transportation and storage of ski poles, sharp tips are exposed and may lead to damage of other equipment such as storage bags, skis, or other ski poles that are transported together. Additionally, sharp, exposed tips can injure people handling this equipment.

Some remedies for this problem have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,382 refers to a ski pole that has a retractable tip. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,559 refers to a ski pole having an assembly that automatically covers the tip when the ski pole is in a rest position. These remedies are undesirable because they require specially-designed ski poles. These remedies are also undesirable because the devices are not removable during use, and may interfere with performance of the ski poles while skiing. Use of the devices during skiing also increases the likelihood for breakage.

The present invention addresses these disadvantages of the prior art remedies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the invention encompasses a removable, protective cover for a ski pole tip that is adaptable to standard ski poles.

In another embodiment, the invention encompasses a protective cover for a ski pole tip comprising a hollow cylinder and means for removably attaching the cylinder to the ski pole.

In another embodiment, the invention encompasses a protective cover for a ski pole tip comprising: a hollow cylinder having a length of about 2¼ inches, a diameter of about 1 inch, and a thickness of about ⅛ inch; and an elastic band attached to the cylinder by threading through a hole in the side of the cylinder, wherein the cylinder is made of polyvinyl chloride.

In another embodiment, the invention encompasses a protective cover for a ski pole tip comprising: a hollow cylinder having a length of about 1¾ inches, a diameter of about ¾ inch, and a thickness of about ⅛ inch; and an elastic band attached to the cylinder by threading through a hole in the side of the cylinder, wherein the cylinder is made of polyvinyl chloride and the cylinder has a notch in the back, bottom of the cylinder that is about ¾ inch in length and about ⅜ inch in width.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view (a), two front views (b and c), and a bottom view (d) of a protective cover of the invention, adapted for use with a “classic style” cross country ski pole.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view (a), two front views (b and c), and a bottom view (d) of a protective cover of the invention, adapted for use with a “skate style” cross country ski pole.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front view (a), a back view (b), and two side views (c and d) of a protective cover of the invention in use on a “classic style” cross country ski pole.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view (a), a back view (b), and two side views (c and d) of a protective cover of the invention in use on a “skate style” cross country ski pole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses a need in the art by providing improved devices for covering ski pole tips, which are adaptable to standard ski poles and removable during use, so that they will not interfere with performance of the ski poles while skiing.

In one embodiment, the invention encompasses a protective cover for a ski pole tip comprising a hollow cylinder and means for removably attaching the cylinder to the ski pole.

Typically, the cylinder is of a length and diameter sufficient to enclose the ski pole tip. In one embodiment, the cylinder is about 1 to about 3 inches in length. In another embodiment, the cylinder is about 2 to about 3 inches in length, about 2 to about 2½ inches in length, or about 2¼ inches in length. In another embodiment, the cylinder is about 1 to about 2 inches in length, about 1½ to about 2 inches in length, or about 1¾ inches in length. In one embodiment, the cylinder is about ½ to about 2 inches in diameter, about ½ to about 1 inch in diameter, about ¾ inch in diameter, or about 1 inch in diameter.

In one embodiment, the cylinder has a thickness of about ⅛ to about 1 inch, about ⅛ to about ¾ inch, about ⅛ to ½ inch, or about ¼ inch.

The cylinder can be open at one or both ends. In one embodiment, the cylinder is open at both ends.

The cylinder can be made of any hard material that is resistant to puncture. Suitable materials include plastics, such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and polypropylene, metals, such as copper, brass, aluminum, and steel, and the like. In one embodiment, the cylinder is made of plastic. In another embodiment, the cylinder is made of polyvinyl chloridel.

The cylinder can be decorated in order to individualize it. For example, the cylinder can be made in any color or pattern, or adorned with decorations such as ribbons, beads, rhinestones, and the like. This allows protective covers to be identified on the basis of color, pattern, adornments, or a combination of these.

Typically, the means for removably attaching the cylinder to the ski pole is an elastic band. Other suitable means include thread, string, wire, and the like.

In one embodiment, the elastic band is attached to the cylinder. Typically, the elastic band is attached to the cylinder by threading it through a hole in the side of the cylinder as depicted in FIGS. 1 c and 2 c.

The elastic band can be about ⅛ to about 1 inch, about ⅛ to about ¾ inch, about ⅛ to ½ inch, or about ⅛ inch in diameter. The elastic band is also typically of a sufficient length to form a loop of about 1 to about 3 inches in diameter after the elastic band is threaded through the hole in the side of the cylinder. In one embodiment, the elastic band forms a loop of about 2 inches in diameter after the elastic band is threaded through the hole in the side of the cylinder.

The hole in the side of cylinder is typically about ¼ to about 1 inch, about ¼ to about ¾ inch, about ¼ to about ½ inch, about ½ inch to about ¾ inch, or about ½ inch from the top of the cylinder. The hole also typically has a diameter that is sufficient to accept the elastic band. In one embodiment, the hole has a diameter of about ¼ inch to about 1 inch, about ¼ inch to about ½ inch, or about ⅜ inch.

To attach the protective cover of the invention to a ski pole, the cylinder is typically placed over the tip of the ski pole, and the elastic band attached to the cylinder is stretched over the basket of the ski pole and brought to rest against the shaft of the ski pole just above the basket as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The protective cover of the invention is suitable for use with standard ski poles, including Alpine and Nordic (e.g., cross-country) ski poles. In one embodiment, the protective cover of the invention is suitable for use with “classic style” cross country ski poles and “skate style” cross country ski poles, as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively.

When used with a “skate style” cross country ski pole, the cylinder includes a notch in the back, bottom of the cylinder in order to accommodate the smaller, less accessible tip on the pole. The notch is typically about ⅓ of the length of the cylinder and about ½ of the width of the cylinder. For example, as depicted in FIG. 2, the notch can be about ¾ inch in length and about ⅜ inch in width.

In one embodiment a fabric material, chosen from the group of natural and synthetic fabrics, covers the all or part of the protective cover. Such fabric imparts protective padding to the protective cover, and also allows the protective covers to be identified on the basis of color, pattern or fabric, or a combination of these. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A removable, protective cover for a ski pole tip that is adaptable to standard ski poles.
 2. A protective cover for a ski pole tip comprising a hollow cylinder and means for removably attaching the cylinder to the ski pole.
 3. The protective cover of claim 2, wherein the cylinder is about 1 to about 3 inches in length.
 4. The protective cover of claim 3, wherein the cylinder is about ½ to about 2 inches in diameter.
 5. The protective cover of claim 4, wherein the cylinder has a thickness of about ⅛ to about 1 inch.
 6. The protective cover of claim 2, wherein the cylinder is made of polyvinyl chloride.
 7. The protective cover of claim 2, wherein the means for removably attaching the cylinder to the ski pole is an elastic band.
 8. The protective cover of claim 7, wherein the elastic band is attached to the cylinder by threading it through a hole in the side of the cylinder.
 9. The protective cover of claim 8, wherein the cover is attached to the ski pole by placing the cylinder over the ski pole tip and stretching the elastic band attached to the cylinder over the basket of the ski pole and bringing the elastic band to rest against the shaft of the ski pole just above the basket.
 10. A protective cover for a ski pole tip comprising: a hollow cylinder having a length of about 2¼ inches, a diameter of about 1 inch, and a thickness of about ⅛ inch; and an elastic band attached to the cylinder by threading through a hole in the side of the cylinder, wherein the cylinder is made of polyvinyl chloride.
 11. A protective cover for a ski pole tip comprising: a hollow cylinder having a length of about 1¾ inches, a diameter of about ¾ inch, and a thickness of about ⅛ inch; and an elastic band attached to the cylinder by threading through a hole in the side of the cylinder, wherein the cylinder is made of polyvinyl chloride and the cylinder has a notch in the back, bottom of the cylinder that is about ¾ inch in length and about ⅜ inch in width. 